Validation of high-quality potato seed production protocol under controlled conditions (CETS System) in cultivated potato species (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Authors: DEL RIO, A - University Of Wisconsin; OBREGON, C - Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species; Bamberg, John; PETRICK, J - Controlled Environment Technology System Cets Llc; BULA, R - Controlled Environment Technology System Cets Llc; DE LA CALLE, F - Controlled Environment Technology System Cets Llc

Submitted to: Latin American Potato Magazine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/11/2017
Publication Date: 12/1/2017
Citation: Del Rio, A.H., Obregon, C., Bamberg, J.B., Petrick, J., Bula, R., De La Calle, F. 2017. Validation of high-quality potato seed production protocol under controlled conditions (CETS System) in cultivated potato species (Solanum tuberosum L). Latin American Potato Magazine. 21(2):71-78. http://ojs.papaslatinas.org/index.php/rev-alap/article/view/281/290.

Interpretive Summary: Potato is an important crop in Peru. Native cultivars are popular and represent an opportunity to improve nutrition for consumers and profit for farmers. One major national limitation is sufficient disease-free tuber seed for an optimally productive crop. Specialized growth chambers have been developed for rapidly and efficiently producing vigorous disease-free seed for US cultivars, and could solve this problem, but have not been tested on Peruvian native cultivars adapted to a quite different growing environment. When 10 native Peruvian cultivars were grown in CETS growth chambers, most produced abundant, vigorous tuber seed. We conclude that such specialized growth chambers have potential for rapidly multiplying tuber seed for cropping in Peru. And, because growing conditions are very tightly and precisely controlled in these chambers, they also hold promise for a variety of other research experiments for evaluating and deploying potato germplasm.

Technical Abstract: Low potato yield in Peru and other countries in the region are attributed to the use of low quality seeds and tuber recycling. Therefore, there is consensus on the need of incorporating seed production technologies that are effective and efficient but also consistent with the reality of potato in Latin America. This examined a technology for high-quality potato seed production developed by CETS, a US company based in Wisconsin. This system uses growth chambers called phytotrons where parameters of photoperiod, temperature, irrigation, nutrients, humidity, etc. are all automatically controlled. The plants would thus produce mini-tubers between 60 and 70 days, allowing up to 6 harvests per year. To verify the potential use of CETS in the region, 10 native varieties of the eight Andean cultivated potato species were used as model systems. The results showed that the plants were capable of fulfilling their phenological and physiological phases under phytotron conditions within the expected timeframe. Levels of production of mini-tubers were variable, in some cases yield was very high (ajanhuiri) but in others it was moderate as in phureja. These variations perhaps reflected differences in their original-natural environmental conditions, but can be optimized with changes in the parameters which is very simple and immediate in this system. In summary, CETS technology is a possibility for the production of high-quality tuber seed in varieties of native potatoes in the region. This system unlocks chances of a positive impact on other areas such as biodiversity conservation, potato breeding and basic research.